Darwin Noal Hoffman

October 2, 2024

Darwin Noal Hoffman, age 88, passed away on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at his home in Greeley County, Kansas. He was born in Tribune, Kansas, to Clettis Noal and Margaret Louise Smith Hoffman on November 23, 1935, in a house built by his grandfather at the west end of town. He was a lifelong resident of Greeley County and graduated from Greeley County High School in 1953 where he was active in Hi-Y, music, one-act plays, and sports.

He was a member of the Community of Christ having been baptized at the age of fifteen at a youth camp held in the Rocky Mountains. The baptism took place in the swimming pool he helped repair earlier in the day. Locally he served the Tribune congregation in several capacities including Pastor, member of the Greeley County Ministerial Alliance, and Sunday School teacher, to name a few. At the district level of Western Kansas, he was a youth leader for several years in conjunction with the Eastern Colorado District. Three couples in Tribune found their true loves from the two districts coming together to have these combined youth camps including his son, his oldest daughter, and a nephew. He spent many Sundays as a visiting minister traveling around the Western Kansas District. His daughter, Lynda, remembers accompanying her dad many times to Hill City and watching the sun come up along the way. Darwin served the World Church as a self-sustaining Seventy for several years holding week-long series of ministry as far away as Wyoming and many other locations.

Farming and ranching was the fulfillment of a dream occupation he revealed as a senior in the Rabbit Tales. During the lean times Darwin would trim trees, shingle roofs, do interior construction, and along with his wife Barbara drove a school bus where he took the wheel on stormy or muddy days. The kids told Barbara that she was the better driver of the two as she never got stuck. In later years Darwin would say he was semi-retired meaning retired until a harvest came along that found him driving a semi.

He enjoyed welding and made a set of sweeps, a tractor cab, a pickup out of a feeder school bus, and a giant swing set for his children. His most recent welding projects included single-stem and bouquets of flowers and many other items. He loved entering these projects in the Greeley County Fair. He assisted in building the house they resided in for fifty years. He built an R.V. with his son’s assistance from the frame up and it was named, appropriately, the Travel Inn.

Another project that was close to his heart was serving in all capacities except treasurer on the Area Mental Health Board now known as Compass Behavioral Health. He served on the board for 51 years attending monthly meetings in Garden City that would go long hours into the night.

He was a member of the Jaycees and a member and leader in 4-H. He was an experienced pilot which gave him his CB handle of Sky Ryder. He enjoyed being a part of vocal groups. Music was a life-long passion of his. In addition to singing, he played the harmonica, trumpet, tuba, sousaphone, and guitar. Museums of all kinds drew his attention and he would study each exhibit and remember the information long after the visit was over.

A bit of trivia about Darwin is that he was first in line to purchase the first ticket at the new Tribune Theater when he was twelve. His last ticket purchased was last Saturday night. He so thoroughly enjoyed the show that he seriously considered going back to see the movie again on Sunday afternoon.

Darwin liked all animals. He made sure there was grain in the feeder to take care of the birds, rabbits, and occasional deer that came. His latest cat, D.C. loved to ride on the Gator with him and would not willingly relinquish his seat next to his favorite person.

Fishing was his favorite hobby and he was always ready for the next opportunity to go. Early in his life, Darwin found that he had a knack for finding water. He delighted in finding a water source for families whose well had run dry or needed a source to water their livestock.

On December 27, 1953, Darwin married Barbara Lee Young at a ceremony held in her parents’ home. The couple enjoyed a family get-together in 2023 to celebrate their seventieth wedding anniversary.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Hoffman, his children, Debra & Ron Riley of Tribune, Kansas, Larry & Debbi Hoffman of Wichita, Kansas, Lynda & Jeff Lollar of Omaha, Nebraska, Karma & Gary Hill of Whitewater, Kansas, two stepsisters Elaine Stephens of Fowler, Colorado, Dorothy Cowden of Ordway, Colorado, step-sister-in-law Marnieta Pile of Garden City, Kansas, ten grandchildren including eight spouses, and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Darwin was preceded in death by his parents, Clettis and Margaret, and stepfather, Ross Pile, two siblings, Keith and Twilla, and one step-brother, Earl Pile.

“Outreach International” or the “Greeley County EMS” have been chosen for memorials in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 161, Leoti, KS 67861.

Visitation was held from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29, 2024, and from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, September 30, 2024, at the Price and Sons Funeral Home, 322 2nd St., Tribune, Kansas 67879.

Funeral services were held at the United Methodist Church in Tribune, Kansas on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. (Mountain) with Pastor Nick Talbot and Ron Riley presiding. Services will be streamed at priceandsons.com or at https://evt.live/hoffmanservice.  A graveside service will follow at the Greeley County Cemetery.